The Role of The Taxi In Film

Taxis have played a significant role in films throughout the ages. As a matter of fact, some of the most iconic movies of all time have used taxis. While the film Taxi Driver is an obvious example of this, a number of other films have used taxis effectively.

Read on if you would like to learn more about the roles taxis have played in films.

Taxis and Exposition

London taxi cab with advertisement
The iconic London black cab

Taxis are often used for exposition scenes. When a character is sitting in the back of a taxi, they can provide essential information to the audience.

Some movies have the taxi driver ask their passenger questions. For example, the driver might ask them about where they are going, or what they do for a living. The answers that they give the driver can be very informative.

Scriptwriters need to find interesting ways to convey important information. A lot of writers have used taxis to get this information out there.

Trapped in A Taxi

When two people climb in a taxi, they are stuck together until the taxi reaches its destination. If the two people are already on bad terms, this can be fairly intense.

Some movies use a taxi to bring tensions to their boiling point. For example, a couple that has been arguing for a while may wind up in a blowout argument after stepping into a taxi.

When people are out on their own, it’s easy for them to defuse an argument. When people are sitting in the back of a taxi, it’s a lot harder for them to avoid talking about thing.

Taxis and Chase Scenes

While taxis are often used in dramas, they are also used in action films. In many cases, someone has to take over a taxi in order to pursue a criminal. These scenes can be quite intense, but they can also be entertaining. In some cases, the cab driver doesn’t know what to make of the situation.

In other films, someone has to steal a taxi in order to get to their destination. This can also lead to entertainment scenes. It’s hard for the audience not to feel sympathy for the cab driver in this situation.

The Imagery of Taxis

Most people can instantly recognize a yellow taxi cab, even if they have never seen cabs in real life. This is because taxis have appeared in so many films. This is also true of London’s famous black taxi cabs.

Showing someone hailing a taxi is a great way to show that the person is in a city. Taxis aren’t really associated with suburbs and small towns. In the films, a yellow taxi is a clear indicator that the movie is taking place in a city.

If you’re a film buff, you should pay close attention to the role of the taxi in films. The next time you watch one of your favorite movies, you should pay close attention to taxi cabs. You might be surprised when you see how frequently taxis are used. Taxis have become a film staple, and they’ll continue to appear in movies in the future.